Press Releases: Constraining Iran’s Nuclear Program

Iran cannot be trusted to have vital constraints on its nuclear program lifted. The United States is committed to ensuring that Iran never comes close to possessing a nuclear weapon.

Starting today, all nuclear cooperation with Iran, except for the limited activities for which waivers are being granted, will be sanctionable. This includes:

Re-designating the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and 23 of its subsidiaries.

Placing new limits on Iran’s nuclear program significantly beyond current restrictions. Iran will not be able to pursue any new nuclear facilities with foreign assistance, including power reactors or hot cell facilities currently allowed under the JCPOA.

Involvement in the expansion of Iran’s nuclear capabilities beyond current limits will also be subject to sanctions.

We are not issuing waivers for any new civil nuclear projects. We are only permitting the continuation for a temporary period of certain ongoing projects that impede Iran’s ability to reconstitute its weapons program and that lock in the nuclear status quo until we can secure a stronger deal that fully and firmly addresses all of our concerns.

We are specifically permitting nonproliferation projects at Arak, Bushehr, and Fordow to continue under the strictest scrutiny to ensure transparency and maintain constraints on Iran.

Permitting these specific activities to continue is an interim measure that preserves oversight of Iran’s civil nuclear program. It enables the United States and our partners to reduce the proliferation risks at Arak, maintain safe oversight of operations at Bushehr, limit Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium, and prevent the regime from reconstituting sites such as Fordow for proliferation-sensitive purposes. This oversight enhances our ability to constrain Iran’s program and keep pressure on the regime while we pursue a new, stronger deal.

Each of the waivers we are granting is conditional on the cooperation of the various stakeholders. If we determine at any time that the work conducted pursuant to these waivers is anything other than what we have authorized or that Iran has reneged on its commitments, we reserve the right to modify or revoke the waivers immediately.